Table and cabinet combination



Feb. 6, 1968 c. .1. BARE-CK! 3,367,290

TABLE AND CABINET COMBINATION Filed Jan. 25, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Chester J. Borecki ATTORNEYS Feb. 6, 1968 C. J. BARECKI TABLE AND CABINET COMBINATION 2 Sheets-Shea:

Filed Jan. 25, 1967 INVENTOR FIG. /0

FIG. 8 FIG. 9

Chester J. Barecki wfvu,

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,367,290 TABLE AND CABENET COMBINATION Chester J. Barecki, Grand Rapids, Mich assignor to American Seating Company, Grand Rapids, Mich, a corporation of Delaware Filed Jan. 25, 1967, Ser. No. 611,684 6 Claims. (Cl. 108-50) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLGSURE In a teachers console, a projector may be used in elevated position while the teacher is standing or in lowered position when the teacher is sitting. The cabinet of the instrument is provided with side panels slidably mounted in an opening in the console table, and pivotallymounted handles are equipped with latch means for maintaining the cabinet in raised positiOn, for removing the cabinet, or for releasing the latch and lowering the cabinet, and also equipped with resilient or cushioning means to aid in the operations.

Brief summary of the invention In a teacher console, it is desired to have the teachers table provided with a well or opening in which is mounted for vertical movement a transparency projector or other demonstration instrument. The instrument receives transparency slides from which the image is projected upwardly through an overhead projector having a lens which directs the image rearwardly onto a screen (not shown) located behind the teacher console. When the teacher is seated, it is desired to have the projector cabinet in a lowered position, as shown in FIG. 1. When the teacher wishes to stand, it is desired to have the projector cabinet raised, as shown in FIG. 2.

The cabinet has downwardlyand inwardly-inclined side, and is equipped also with side panels which are generally vertical and which are secured to the cabinet, providing an intervening space between the side panels and cabinet. Handles are equipped with means for limiting upward movement of the cabinet and for latching and stabilizing the cabinet in raised position. The handles are pivotally mounted upon the side panels, and spring and cushion means are provided whereby the operator can quickl and securely bring the cabinet into raised and latched position while permitting controlled lowering of the cabinet. The handle mechanism further permits removal of the cabinet entirely from the table.

Drawings In the accompanying illustrative drawings, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the table and cabinet combination embodying my invention, the view being taken from the rear side of the table; FIG. 2, a view similar to FIG. 1 but showing the ca)inet in raised position; FIG. 3, a broken fragmentary side elevational view of the table and projector, the projector being shown in raised and latched position; FIG. 4, a view similar to FIG. 3 but showing the handles moved laterally sufficiently to permit removal of the cabinet from the table; FIG. 5, a view similar to FIG. 4 showing in dotted lines the cabinet removed from the table and showing in solid lines the cabinet in lowered position with the table; FIG. 6, a perspective view of the inner surface of one of the side panels; FIG. 7, a perspective view of the outer surface of the side panel shown in FIG. 6; FIG. 8, a broken sectional view of one of the side panels in normal latching position, the section being taken as indicated at line 8-8 of FIG. 7; FIG. 9, a view similar to FIG. 8 but showing the handle in unlatched position; and FIG. 10, a view 3,367,290 Patented Feb. 6, 1968 similar to FIG. 9 but showing the handle in extreme extracted position for removal of the cabinet from the table.

Detailed description In the illustration given in the drawings, A indicates a table top equipped with leg supports B. The table may be or" any suitable type or structure and may be in the form of a desk or the like. The table top A is provided at one side with an opening 10 which may be of any suitable shape but preferably is rectangular or square.

An instrument cabinet 11 having downwardly and inwardly-sloping sides 12 is provided with side panels 13 and 14. The cabinet 11 may house an type of instrument which is to be raised or lowered. In the illustration given, the instrument is a projector having a flat transparent surface 15 adapted to receive transparencies and to project the image therefrom upon a raised lens projector 16 carried by mast 17. The lens projector 16 directs the image upon a screen (not shown) at the rear of the teacher. Since the instrument is well known, a further detailed description herein is believed unnecessary.

With such a projector device or other demonstration device, it is important that the device he in lowered position when the teacher is sitting and in elevated position when the teacher is standing, and that means be provided for raising and lowering the cabinet with ease and accuracy.

The side panels 13 and 14 are alike and each has a generally vertical outer wall 18. For a detailed description, side panel 14 will be described as the same is shown in FIGS. 610 inclusive.

The side panel wall 18 is provided near its top with openings 19 through which fastening means may be extended for securing the wall to the cabinet 11. At its bottom, the wall 18 is turned laterally to provide a bottom flange 20, which also is provided with openings 1.1 through which fastening means, such as screws, rivets, etc., may be extended to secure the flange to cabinet 11. The wall 18 is provided with rearwardly-turned triangular side flanges 22 which cover the space between the side panel walls 18 and the cabinet walls 12, this space being generally triangular in cross section.

The wall 18 is provided at its top with a rearwardlyextending flange 23 which serves to support the side panel when the cabinet is in lowered position. Wall 18 is cut away centrally, as shown best in FIGS. 6 and 7, and portions of the top flange 23 and the wall 18 are bent inwardly to provide a flange support 24, as shown best in FIG. 6. Adjacent flange 24 is a flange 25 forming a part of handle 27. The flanges 24 and 25 are apertured to receive a pivot pin 26.

The handle member 27 is provided at its top with a crook portion 28 and has welded thereto an actuator bar 29, which engages the pivot pin 26. Thus the bar 29 forms a continuation or lower leg of the upper portion of the handle 27. The lower end of bar 29 is welded or otherwise secured to a crossbar 30, being turned outwardly to form latches 31. The latches 31 preferably have inclined faces 32 to cause automatic latching as the cabinet is raised and as the inclined faces 32 engage the edges of the table opening 10. Secured to the inner ends of the crossbar 30 are depending straps 33 which extend downwardly through openings 34 in the flange 20. The ends of the straps 33 are turned outwardl to form stops or stabilizing flanges 35.

In order to maintain the parts in the latched or normal position shown in FIGS. 6 and 8, I equip the pivot pin 26 with a coil spring 36, one end of the spring having a finger 37 hearing against the handle leg 29 and the other end of the spring being anchored to a bracket arm 40 3 welded to the inner surface of the in FIG. 6.

To enable the operator to manipulate the handles readily and accurately while reducing noise, etc., I equip the crossbar on the inner side thereof with a resilient cushion block 41 which may be formed of sponge rubber, foam plastic, etc. and secured to the crossbar 30 by adhesive or other suitable means.

Preferably, the dimensions of the resilient member 41 are such that when the latch member 31 is retracted for lowering the cabinet, the member 41 will strike the inclined wall 12 of cabinet 11, and thus the operator will feel the engagement and will know that the cabinet can be released. In an extreme case where it is desired to withdraw the stop 35 also, so that the entire cabinet and side panels can be removed, the member 41 can be further squeezed to the extent shown in FIG. 10 and the cabinet may then be withdrawn, as illustrated in FIG. 5.

In the operation of the structure, the teacher may utilize the projector in the lowered position, as shown in FIG. 1, placing transparencies upon the top panel 15 of projector 11 and projecting the image, via the elevated projector 16, upon the screen behind the teacher. Ordinarily, the teacher uses a pointer with respect to the transparency, and the pointer designation is similarly reproduced on the screen. When the teacher desires to stand while making the demonstration, he lifts the handles 27, tilting them slightly outwardly to the position shown in FIG. 9, and the instrument is lifted until the flange stops 15 engage the bottom of the table top A, and then the spring-urged latch members 31 are released for engagement with the top of the table. If desired, a simple vertical movement of the handles is all that is necessary because the inclined faces 32 of latch members 31 move the members inwardly to the position shown in FIG. 9 until the table top A is cleared, and then the spring restores the latch members to the position shown in FIG. 8. The broad flange stops 35 stabilize the cabinet when it is in raised position.

For lowering the cabinet, the operator draws the handle members outwardly, as illustrated in FIG. 9, until he can feel the member 41 abut the cabinet wall 12, and the cabinet may then be lowered until flanges 23 rest upon table top A.

While in the foregoing specification, I have set forth a description in considerable detail for illustrating a specific embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that such details may be varied widely by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. In combination with a table having an opening in the top thereof, a cabinet provided with downwardlyand inwardly-sloping sides and equipped with generally vertical side panels slidably mounted in said opening, said panels wall 18, as shown best having slots in their lower portions, handle members pivotally mounted on said side panels and having lower leg portions extending inwardly within the space between the side panels and sloping sides of the cabinet, latch members carried by said lower leg portions and extending outwardly through said slots in said side panels for engagement with the top of the table when the cabinet is raised, and stabilizing stop members carried by the lower extremities of said leg portions for limiting normal upward movement of the cabinet.

2. The structure of claim 1 in which said handle members are provided at their tops with lift crooks.

3. The structure of claim 1 in which said leg portions are provided on their inner sides with resilient cushion members.

4. The structure of claim 3 in which said cushion members normally abut the sides of said cabinet when said latch members are retracted inwardly out of contact with said table, said cushion members being further compressible to withdraw said stop members to permit their removal through said table opening.

5. The structure of claim 1 in which said latch members are provided with inclined faces for automatically retracting the latch members when the cabinet is raised.

6. In combination with a table top provided with a cabinet opening, a slide projector cabinet provided with downwardly and inwardly-sloping sides and equipped also with generally vertical side panels having slots therein, handle members pivotally mounted on said side panels and having upper portions turned outwardly and lower portions extending inwardly into the space between the side panels and below the side panels, latch members carried by the lower handle portions and extending outwardly through said slots in said side panels for engagement with the top of the table when the cabinet is raised, and stabilizing stop members carried by the lowermost portions of the handle members and adapted to engage the bottom of the table top to limit upward movement of the cabinet.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,044,559 6/1936 Blaster 108-25 XR 2,181,133 11/1939 Katz 88-24 2,181,134 11/1939 katz 88-24 2,614,020 10/1952 Collins 312-312 3,101,025 8/1963 Rossenfeld 88-24 3,110,217 11/1963 Millner et al. 88-24 3,166,028 l/1965 Zagel 108-25 3,215,483 ll/l965 Nelson 312-249 BOBBY R. GAY, Primary Examiner. G. O. FINCH, Assistant Examiner. 

